Petersen in for Smith in proteas squad

Test opening batsman Alviro Petersen will replace Graeme Smith in South Africa's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy next month.

Petersen, 32, has not appeared in an ODI since January 2012 but Andrew Hudson, convener of the South African selectors, said he was a “like-for-like” replacement for his Test opening partner, Smith, who withdrew last week in order to have surgery on his left ankle. Primarily regarded as a Test specialist, Petersen has played in only 17 ODIs, scoring 437 runs at an average of 31.21 with four half-centuries.

But Hudson said Petersen was currently in good form for English county Somerset. “He (Petersen) handled the conditions extremely well during our Test tour to England last year,” said Hudson.